Oh Darling
by Cannedtuna
Summary: Oneshot, Sandy leaving Sodapop. Loosely based on the song 'Oh Darling' by The Beatles. Rated T for swearing.


**AU: Hey everyone! I thought I'd try a oneshot just to pass time, I'm thinking of writing a full story in a little while. Maybe another Outsiders fic or a Beatles fic! Please PM me and tell me what you would like to hear. I'm very open to suggestions. Anyway, I know that this has probably been done 100 times but I thought I might give it a try. Plus, I love the Sodapop/Sandy pairing. The title and story is based on the song 'Oh Darling' by The Beatles. Oh, those lovely, lovely, lovely Liverpudlian lads.**

* * *

_Just do it._

_It's one knock._

_A few words._

_Then it's over._

Those were the thoughts that were stuck in my head at that moment. Those were the thoughts that were stuck in my head the moment I noticed a small bump forming in between my hips. They were stuck in my head when my mother told me that it would be best for me and my baby if I went to go live with my wealthy grandmother in Florida. And now those thoughts are still there, while I stand at the porch of Sodapop's house.

I tried to knock, but yet I didn't have the heart to raise my hand and rap on the white painted wood. I think that it was because I didn't have the heart to break his.

I couldn't. Not Sodapop. Not the boy who is as sweet as his name. The boy who was there for me when no one else was. Who chose me, plain ol' Sandy out of a sea of pretty girls who he could have chose from. And now I'm going to hurt him. I'm going to hurt him, even though he would _never_ hurt me.

I inhaled a breath of the crisp, November air. I smelt fresh, just like it had just rained. That seemed to calm down enough to knock on the door.

Surprisingly, at the force of my knock the door creaked open. Darry always left it unlocked, so anyone of the gang could crash there if they wanted to. Hell, I even crashed there once. My relatives were staying over from Texas and boy-oh-boy did I hate them. They were obnoxious and downright mean. I can still remember bursting out the front door when my Aunt Katherine had called me a 'whore'.

I had ran straight to Soda's place, hoping I could sleep on the couch that night. But Soda refused that idea. He was a gentleman, he let me sleep in his bed. I smiled, remembering how that night he held me close and told me that he loved me and that he would help me and be there for me, no matter what pickle I'm in.

I slowly edged into the house. It was oddly quiet. Normally the radio and television were blaring and there was some form of fighting going on. Not this time. The T.V. was on, but the sound was on low.

"Darling?" I heard a warm voice say softly. 'Darling' is the nickname Soda uses for me. It always seems to make my heart melt when he says it to me.

For a moment, I wanted to run away. Run away, just like I did from Aunt Katherine. My feet seemed to be glued to the spot, my legs like jelly.

I looked over at Soda.

He sat there, with his trademark grin spread across his face. Every time I looked at him, I seemed to be astounded by his beauty. He was like an angel. His dark golden hair was matted to the side of his head with grease and dark chestnut brown eyes danced with life as they usually did.

There was something different about him though. He had developed purple-grey stains under his eyes, almost like bruises. His eyes still were vibrant with life, except it didn't seem to be happy. Instead, it was replaced by weariness and an odd look of pain.

"Sandy, baby, you alright?" His voice broke into my thoughts.

I tried to open my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

A flash of frustration went through me. _Cut it out Sandy, your only making things harder, _I told myself.

After a few seconds of silence I found my voice.

"Can I talk to you for a minute, Soda?" I asked him. I wasn't surprised at how weak my voice sounded.

Soda's dancing eyes changed at that moment. They went from haggard yet happy to deeply concerned. His grin changed to a flat line.

"Is there something wrong, darlin'?"

No. That's what I wanted to say. I wanted to tell him that I loved him and everything was going to be okay. I wanted to tell him that I would never leave his side.

I couldn't.

I bit my my lower lip. My left hand went to my hair, where I nervously twirled it between my fingers. It's a habit, I guess. My right hand went to my lower stomach, where my baby rested. I wasn't visibly pregnant yet, but soon I would be. By that time I would be far away from here.

"Yes," I said quietly.

Soda slowly and gracefully got up from the sofa. He moved towards me as if he was approaching a lost child. He took my hand out of my hair and clasped it in his, then slowly lead me outside.

I wanted to cry. Why did he have to be so nice to me when I was going to break his heart?

He looked at me sincerely.

"What's the matter?"

I swallowed the large lump in my throat and looked right in his eyes. I had to give it to him straight, no matter how we both felt about this.

"Soda... I- I- I'm..." I stuttered.

"Yes?" He asked, his voice like soft velvet.

"I'm pregnant."

His chestnut eyes seemed to bulge with shock and his face turned so pale it was almost as white as his pearly smile. He took his eyes away from me.

A moment passed in silence.

"This is great, right Sandy? I mean, we're gonna have a baby, that's pretty tuff," He said, forcing to sound cheerful.

Oh god. Please don't think that this is a good thing Soda. Please don't want to be a daddy. Don't make it harder on yourself.

Soda's rambling brought me to his attention: "I know I won't be the best daddy a kid could have, but I'll be there. I can get a better job, then we can get married and save enough money to buy a house, but in the meantime you can move in with Darry, Pony and I. That's alright, right Sandy?"

All I could do was shake my head.

"What? No Sandy, I promise I'll take good care of you and the baby, you won't have to worry 'bout nothin'," He continued.

I shook my head once again then said coldly, "It ain't your baby, Sodapop."

That was a lie. It was his baby. I had no choice but to move to Florida and I didn't want any burden put on him. I don't want to ruin his life too. The best thing was lie. The only thing was a lie.

His eyes were pierced with pain. He looked at the ground in misery.

My eyes stung with tears. I am the world's worst person. How could I do this to him? He certainly didn't do anything to deserve it.

He looked up at me. That was the worst thing in the world, seeing his face. There was so much pain he looked like he was going to start balling.

I'm such a bitch.

"I guess that's okay darling, we can still get married and I'll still be the baby's daddy," He said, his voice cracking with anguish.

I got angry. It may have seemed like I was angry at him, but I was really angry at myself.

"No Soda! When will you get it that I don't want you anymore!" I yelled, then immediately regretted hollerin' at him.

There was now tears starting to stream down his cheeks. I hadn't seen him cry ever since his parents died.

"You don't want me?" He asked slowly, as if he were a child trying out new words.

"No," I said as harshly as I believed I could say it.

"Oh darling, please believe me, I'm never gonna do you any harm. Please Sandy. Just marry me and we'll be happy together," He whispered, his voice shaking with hurt.

"I'm leaving for Florida in three days and I ain't comin' back. I'm leavin' you Sodapop."

I bet there is tears streaming down my face too. I can't tell. I hate myself too much to tell.

"Sandy... Please..." Soda begged.

I wanted to jump into his arms and tell him that I would be perfectly happy marrying him. But I had a job to do. That job was assigned to me by my mother. She didn't approve of the greasy haired boy down the street and surely didn't think he'd be cut out for a father.

"Goodbye Sodapop Curtis," I said, and don't even know if he heard me.

I stumbled off the porch, my hand rubbing my bump. I was crying.

The last words I heard from Sodapop Curtis was 'Oh Darling.'

He had choked it out from behind me.

_Just do it._

_It's one knock._

_A few words._

_It's over._

_I'll never think of the word 'Darling' the same way again._


End file.
